Drier



Oct. 19,1926. 1, 04,074

T. H. RHOADS DRIER Original Filed Dec. 23,. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet l aoocoloo ooocooo a 00000000 ooonoooo ojooeooo 00000900 00000000- 22 oocoooon 00 000000 oocaocp o 0000 n 0 000 ooo ooooaooo :oooooo a 0000000 0 pace 00 Patented Oct. 19, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS H. RHOADS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO PROCI'OR &'

SCHWARTZ, INCORPORATED, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORA- TION or: PENNSYLVANIA.

DRIER.

Original application filed December 23, 1924, Serial No. 757,688. Divided and this application filed June 1 19, 1926. Serial No. 117,147.

My invention relates to certain improvements in driers, particularly driers for drying ceramic ware and other articles.

This application is a division 'of an application for patent filed by me on December 23. 1924, under Serial No. 757,688. I

The object of the present invention is to so construct a drier that the air will be circulated first through one compartment and,

then through another compartment, and recirculated in said compartments. The articles being dried are subjected to a controlled circulation of air to prevent a too rapid drying and cracking.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. l is a transverse sectional view of a double drier, in which the air is circulated, on the line 11, Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View on the line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view on the line 3-3, Fig. 1; and

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail showing the hinged door.

The drier shown in the drawings is what is known as a truck drier, in which articles are mounted on trucks that are traversed through the drier. J

The drier casing 1 is divided by a central, vertical portion 2 into two drying chambers a and b, the drying chambers being similar in construction. f

The trucks- 3 are of the ordinary type, eachtruck having wheels 4 and trays 5, on which the ceramic ware or other articles are mounted.

Tunnels 0-2:, through which the trucks are moved, are each formed b ing side members 6-6 and tops 7.. The side members are open opqosite the carrying portion of eacl x-ruck. n order to close these openings, doors 8 are provided. These doors are pivoted. at 9. The

' doors 8 can be moved to any position desired to allow more or-1ess air, to circulate across the trucks and in contact with the articles being dried. g

The side members 6 of the tunnels are extended to the top of the drier and separate the chambers a and b from their heatingj'chambers e. In the extensions of the quently, through the heating chambers and the dryvtion a and up a casing havside members 6 are fan openings, in which are located the circulating fans 14 and 14 mounted on shafts 15.

In the heating chambers are steam pipes 17, which heat the air in circulation.

In the present instance each drying chamber a and b is made in two sections by a vertical partition 19. At the bottom of said partition are passages 20 and 21, formed by a series of spaced slats. The air intakes are shoygn at 22 and the exhaust flues are shown a The ,fans are rotated rapidly. Consethere is a rapid circulation of air ing chambers. This rapid circulation of air is desirable in order to heat the casing of each tunnel and to change the air in circulation. The circulation of the air, however, is too rapid to allow the currents of air to come in direct, contact-with the articles on the trucks.

By regulating the position of the doors 8, a portion of the air is allowed to travel across the tunnel from one side to the other and in contact'with the articles being dried.

The air in circulation in the drier passes around the tunnel in the section a of the drying chamber a, then through the passage- 20 in-the partition 19 into the adjoining secthrough this section, and through the suction fan 14*. The air then passes down through the heating chamber of the section a, though the openings 21 in the partition 19, up through the heating chamber of thesection a, and through the fan 14 into the section a.

In practice, it has been found that this method of drying articles prevents cracking or warping of the articles. By adjusting the doors 8, the amount of heated air passing in contact with the articles can be' regi'lated to a nicety..

"It .will be understood that the drier .can be of any length desired and that the air in circulation in the diiferent compartments may be regulated to the articles proper- 1y as theypass through. the drier.

. I l im: I; 3

1. The combination in a drier, of two drying sections placed side by side; a circulating fan for each section; a tunnel extending through both sections; trucks in the tunnel for the articles to be dried; a vertical partition having two openings therein, the air circulating first through one section and.

then through the other section, the air returning to the first section; and .means for allowing a certain proportion of the air to chamber; a horizontal partition connecting the two vertical partitions and forming with said partitions a longitudinal tunnel, the

vertical partitions having openings to allow air in circulation to pass into the tunnel; doors atthe openings to regulate the passage of air; circulating ,fans in the first mentioned vertical partition, above the tunnel; a transverse partition dividing the drier into two sections; and two openings in the lower end of said transverse partition, one forming a communication between the two drying sections and the other forming a communication between the two heating sections of the drier, the air'in circulation passing first throughone section and then through the other section and returning to the first section.

THOMAS H. RHOADS. 

